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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29622213">Collectible: Petition to End the Band of the Dragon</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/trebleclefable/pseuds/trebleclefable'>trebleclefable</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>As Above, So Below [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Vampyr (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, In-Universe Text, Worldbuilding</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 18:01:43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>720</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29622213</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/trebleclefable/pseuds/trebleclefable</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Dear brothers,</p>
<p>We are united by the very thing that sets us apart from the vast majority of human beings today: our knowledge, not only in science, but in the Gnostic and Hermetic texts that bring us closer to understanding Immortality and the secrets of life itself...</p>
<p>It is for these reasons and more that I, Dr. Luke Merrill, legate of the Brotherhood of Saint Paul’s Stole, formally petition to bring a swift end to the taboo and usage of the Ban of the Dragon.</p>
<p>(An open letter to all members of the Brotherhood of Saint Paul's Stole.)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>As Above, So Below [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1968925</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Collectible: Petition to End the Band of the Dragon</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Petition to End The Ban of the Dragon - Author: Luke Merrill</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Dear brothers,</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>We are united by the very thing that sets us apart from the vast majority of human beings today: our knowledge, not only in science, but in the Gnostic and Hermetic texts that bring us closer to understanding Immortality and the secrets of life itself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>I remind you of this purpose, brothers, because it seems we need reminding. Our Brotherhood is sworn to unbiased, apolitical, and non-obtrusive observance. We are not afraid, like the Guard of Priwen, when the world presents us with something we do not understand or that goes against what we know. We do not lash out blindly and destroy the people who bear Immortality, whether they chose willingly to or not - all Immortals were once mortal, they were born human just like us, they have sentience like we do, and they bleed like we do. Do not, my brothers, make the mistake of considering them an entirely separate species like the beasts, for we have far more in common with the average vampire than we do the dogs.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It is for these reasons that I petition we immediately put an end to the Ban of the Dragon. I readily admit that there are dangerous Immortal individuals who cannot be allowed to go  unchecked - and that is exactly what the Guard of Priwen is for. I say again, we are not Priwen. We do not play God. By what right do we, mortal humans, average in every way save the material we have been privileged to learn, pass judgement on men who have walked this earth for centuries? Are we scholars and observers, or are we vigilantes? Do we respond to the unknown with violence, or with pen and paper in hand?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Ban of the Dragon is particularly odious to our traditions. Principally, the fact that none but the Primate know all the details of the ritual, or what it even really does. Sure, we each know our own part that we play, but the whole of the plan is considered taboo and its knowledge lies solely with the Primate. This alone should be cause enough to do away with it, or at least revoke its taboo status. How can we judge the accused worthy of execution and then not know what that execution entails? It is wrong, it is high handed, and it is of the very worst kind of hypocrisy. Every sin we accuse of Priwen, we do ourselves.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Worst of all, the Ban is unforgivably careless. We know that it lures an extremely powerful Immortal to our general location, and that it paints a target on our chosen Dragon. Unfortunately, that is the extent of what we know. Over the course of the summoning ritual, not a single one of us meets either Immortal - hunter or prey - involved. Yet we see fit to let them loose on the city! Have we gone mad! We summon a Demon - a Demon! - and trust him to follow our implicit commands, without payment or promise? Why does the Demon listen to us? Surely we do not control him, or we could control the Ekons who become Dragons. Certainly, we’ve all heard that this Demon once made a pact with our Order in the earliest days of its history, but the details of the pact are lost or taboo. What did we give in exchange for this power? Are we still paying it? What if St. Nicholas, our Demon of Italy, comes to us to collect? What will we do then if we disapprove of the cost - or simply cannot pay it at all? What if St. Nicholas becomes worse than any Dragon? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>I will tell you what we will do: we will do nothing, which is what we should be doing now to avoid all this. We will hope and pray the Guard of Priwen can drive off St. Nicholas without themselves getting slaughtered. Very likely, we ourselves will die or, given what little we know of Demons, suffer a far worse fate.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>For these reasons and more, I, Dr. Luke Merrill, legate of the Brotherhood of Saint Paul’s Stole, formally petition to bring a swift end to the taboo and usage of the Ban of the Dragon.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As Above, So Below</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Luke Merrill</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
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